Hearn Makes History Tonight in MLB Debut

SHAWNEE – Taylor Hearn will make history tonight as the first OBU baseball alumnus to make a major league appearance. The 6-5 lefty was called up from Triple A Nashville to start the Texas Rangers' Thursday night game against the Seattle Mariners. First pitch is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. CT from T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
 
"We're so happy for Taylor and his family," said OBU baseball coach Bobby Cox. "He's worked extremely hard and earned a great opportunity at the highest level. Taylor is an outstanding young man that has represented OBU well and made us all very proud."
 
Hearn was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft by the Washington Nationals. The Royce City, Texas, native was acquired by the Rangers via trade last summer from Pittsburgh. He is 1-3 with a 4.05 ERA and 26 strikeouts through four Triple A starts this season and is considered one of the Rangers top 10 prospects.
 
"He's got power stuff," Rangers manager Chris Woodward told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "When he's in the zone his fastball plays well. He throws hard. His secondary stuff, when he throws it with conviction, he's got elite stuff."
 
In his lone season on Bison Hill, Hearn compiled a perfect 9-0 record with an ERA of 3.50. He struck out 71 batters in 64.1 innings pitched and held opposing batters to a .191 average as the Bison advanced all the way to the NAIA World Series.
 
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